After a tough 2-0 loss to France in Lorient, the WNT traveled to England to prep for its second match of 2015 against the up-and-coming Lionesses. While the weather was cold, the USA’s mentality heated up as the team zeroed in on another match against one of the world’s top teams.

Getting out of the hotel for a night while in France, team bonding, and of course, some competition, all came together at the U.S. WNT Bowling Tournament. There were many pins knocked down, many more left standing, and in the end, a triumph for the “Bowling Brunettes.”

CHICAGO (Jan. 30, 2015) – U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis has named 24 players for a 13-day trip to Europe that will feature matches
against France on Feb. 8 in Lorient (12 p.m. ET on ESPN2) and against England on Feb. 13 in Milton Keynes (3 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1).

The USA has not played in France since 1995 when it was also preparing for a World Cup and played three matches against Italy, Canada and France over a
span of five days. The USA last played a friendly match in England on April 2, 2011, falling to England, 2-1. The USA played four of its six 2012 Olympic
matches in England with the first two being played in Glasgow, Scotland.

Both France and England went unbeaten in their UEFA Women's World Cup qualifying groups. France compiled a 10-0-0 record while scoring 54 goals and
allowing just three. England also went 10-0-0, while netting 52 goals against just one allowed. France is currently ranked third in the world and England
is sixth.

"These games are exactly what we need," said Jill Ellis when the matches were announced. "Our goal leading up to the World Cup is to play some of the best
teams. These are two opponents that will test us and certainly two teams we could meet in Canada. Both teams are exceptionally well-organized, have a high
level of athleticism and will pose some excellent challenges."

Twenty-three of the 24 players named participated in the USA’s three-week January camp, with the only addition being first-time call-up Tori Huster, a
midfielder with the Washington Spirit.

Additional Notes:

The USA will be without three regulars for this tour as Megan Rapinoe (knee) and Christie Rampone (back) picked up minor injuries during the USA’s
January training camp and will not be ready for action, and goalkeeper Hope Solo is serving a suspension.

The USA’s group for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup features Australia, Sweden and Nigeria. England and France are in Group F with Colombia and Mexico.

The USA is 14-0-2 all-time against France. The teams met in the semifinal of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup and during group play at the 2012
Olympics.

The USA is 7-3-1 all-time against England. The teams haven't met since the match in London in 2011.

The U.S. WNT includes players who have played professional club soccer in both France and England. Tobin Heath played with Paris Saint-Germain from
2013-14 while Whitney Engen helped the Liverpool Ladies to a league title in 2013.

Carli Lloyd and Christen Press led the USA in games played in 2014, both seeing action in 23 out of the 24 total games. Lloyd started all 23 of her
matches to lead the team.

CHICAGO (Jan. 2, 2015) – U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Jill Ellis has named 29 players for a 21-day training camp, running from Jan. 5-25 at the
U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, California, that will kick off the USA’s Women’s World Cup year.

Ellis named all 24 players that were recently in Brazil for the International Tournament of Brasilia and has added several veterans in midfielder Shannon
Boxx, defender Rachel Van Hollebeke and goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart, as well as midfielders Kristie Mewis and Allie Long. The camp begins an extensive
schedule of training and matches in 2015 as Ellis and her staff work towards the naming of a 23-player roster for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which
kicks off in Canada this June.

The U.S. WNT returns to international play with two matches in Europe; the first against France in Lorient on Feb. 8, followed by a meeting with England on Feb. 13 in
Milton Keynes. The USA’s entire 2015 schedule for the run-up to the Women’s World Cup will be announced in the near future.

Carli Lloyd led the USA in scoring in 2014 with 15 goals and was the MVP of the CONCACAF Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament.

Lloyd and Christen Press led the USA in games played in 2014, both seeing action in 23 out of the 24 total games. Lloyd started all 23 of her matches
to lead the team.

Lloyd also led the USA in assists in 2014 with eight. Megan Rapinoe was second with seven.

Lauren Holiday was named the 2014 U.S. Soccer Female Athlete of the Year.

The roster includes two finalists for the 2014 MAC Hermann Trophy, awarded to the top player in college soccer, in Morgan Brian of the University of
Virginia and Samantha Mewis of UCLA. Both have completed their college careers and should be high picks in the 2015 NWSL Draft. Brian was also the 2014
U.S. Soccer Young Female Athlete of the Year.

Rachel Van Hollebeke and Kristie Mewis, both of whom have been in Japan playing with Iga FC Kunoichi, return to the U.S. roster for the first time
since a pair of September matches against Mexico. Van Hollebeke is recovering from a nagging calf injury and will join camp as soon as she is ready for
training.

Nicole Barnhart, Shannon Boxx and Allie Long also return for the first time since September.

The tall, strong and athletic Barnhart played a key role for the USA in 2010 and 2011 when she stepped into goal as the starter in the absence of Hope Solo (who was recovering from a shoulder injury) and helped the USA qualify for the Women’s World Cup. Heading into 2012, Barnhart had an impressive all-time career 26-3-4 record.

U.S. National Team – A backup goalkeeper on the USA’s last four world championship teams, at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup and the 2012 Olympics … Came back into Residency Training Camp on trial during 2007 and played well enough to earn a contract and a place on the Women’s World Cup Team and has been a regular call-up ever since … 2012: Played in five games, starting one and had a 2-0-0 record while allowing just one goal … She upped her all-time career mark to 28-3-4 … Her one start came in the third-place match of the Algarve Cup, a 4-0 shutout victory against Sweden … 2011: Played in10 matches, starting nine, including the first eight of the year as Hope Solo finished her recovery from shoulder surgery … Those matches included back-stopping the USA to two tournament victories, at the Four Nations Tournament in China in January and the Algarve Cup in Portugal in March … Compiled a record of 6-2-1 … 2010: Took over the starting role after Hope Solo had shoulder surgery in September and started all five games in CONCACAF Women’s World Cup qualifying and the two playoff matches against Italy … Strong play in two shutouts against Italy helped the USA secure its 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup berth … Played in 11 total matches, compiling a record of 8-1-2, and her 11 starts during the year were a career high … Allowed just five goals in 990 minutes of action … 2009: Played in three matches for the USA, starting two, and earned 1-0 shutouts in both … The first was against Iceland at the Algarve Cup in March and the second against Canada in Rochester, N.Y., in July, the same match in which Abby Wambach scored her 100th goal … Did not allow a goal in 225 minutes of action … 2008: Played in four matches for the USA before undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in early May … Came back to play in 13 total matches, starting eight and gave up just one goal while earning five shutouts … Earned a shutout against Italy at the Peace Queen Cup in South Korea … Earned a shutout against Norway in the USA’s third match of the 2008 Algarve Cup, helping the Americans to the championship game … Played in her most important international match to date against Canada in the championship game of the 2008 CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament, making several excellent saves and sealing the win with a penalty kick stop in the shootout victory against Canada … 2007: Played in one match in 2007, getting the shutout against Mexico in Portland, Ore., on Oct. 17 during the post-WWC tour, her fourth career cap … 2006: Did not appear … 2005: The youth national team veteran earned her first cap in goal and got her first career shutout with the full Women’s National Team on March 9 in a 1-0 victory against France at the Algarve Cup in Portugal … Earned her second career goalkeeper cap, also a shutout, in the USA’s 7-0 win against Ukraine in Portland, Ore. … 2004: Earned her first cap as a field player when the USA ran out of substitutes against Mexico at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on Oct. 16 during the Fan Celebration Tour … She played the last five minutes plus stoppage time at forward next to Abby Wambach in the 1-0 win … Youth National Teams: A member of the 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 U-21 Nordic Cup Teams, she helped the USA to titles in Finland, Denmark, Iceland and Sweden, respectively … Also a member of the USA’s U-18 and U-16 National Team pools … First Appearance: Oct. 16, 2004, vs. Mexico … First Shutout: March 9, 2005, vs. France.

Professional / Club – 2013: Allocated to FC Kansas City for the inaugural season of the NWSL … 2011: Signed with the Philadelphia Independence for the 2011 WPS season and started nine total matches to help the club to a WPS playoff berth and a berth in the championship game … Earned a shutout in the 2-0 Super Semifinal victory against magicJack … Compiled a 4-3-2 record with three shutouts and had a goals against average of 1.11 … 2010: Helped FC Gold Pride to the 2010 WPS title, starting 21 games and playing 1,880 minutes while making 73 saves and allowing just 16 goals … Had eight shutouts, including the WPS championship game, and was named the WPS Goalkeeper of the Year and a WPS All-Star … Also was the goalkeeper on the WPS Best XI … 2009: Allocated to FC Gold Pride for the inaugural WPS season in 2009 … Was the starting goalkeeper for FC Gold Pride, starting all 16 matches in which she played … Made 74 saves, allowed 23 goals for a 1.44 GAA and earned two shutouts … Youth: Played for FC DELCO youth club, winning several state championships … In 2005, inducted into the FC DELCO Hall of Fame … Also played for Souderton in her earlier club years, as well as with a boys’ club team from Boyertown ... Played a significant time on the field as well.

Personal – Full name is Nicole Renee Barnhart … Nickname is “Barnie” ... Finished high school academic career with a 4.2 GPA … Interested in working as a graphic artist in advertising or marketing … Earned a double major in studio art and psychology from Stanford, graduating in June of 2005 ... Also interested in art therapy and her ideal job would be working in this field at a children’s hospital … A talented sketch artist … Played three months of lacrosse for Stanford after the completion of her senior year of soccer eligibility but stopped playing and became the team manager after turning professional with the U.S. team at the Algarve Cup … Studied American Sign Language for two years at Stanford and would love to further her studies ... Volunteers at the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital when home in the Bay Area … Involved with the Garth Brooks’ and Troy Aikman’s Teammates for Kids Foundation … Does not like chocolate ... Has served as a volunteer assistant women’s soccer coach at Stanford since the fall of 2005 and was a member of the staff that helped the Cardinal win the 2011 NCAA title … In her free time, enjoys drawing, and creating digital artwork ... Enjoys cooking ... Loves to do crossword puzzles and is the best on the team at Bananagrams … Owns a true log cabin in the woods in the Pocono Mountains and enjoys spending quiet time there and remodeling … It was always a dream of hers to own a log cabin … Takes her pillow and stuffed dog (Woof) on every soccer trip … One of her most memorable soccer moments would have to be her five minutes of fame as a forward with the WNT during the 2004 Fan Celebration Tour.

College / High School – Played in 71 games in her career at Stanford, starting 66 … Ranks No. 1 in Cardinal history with 35 career shutouts and is second all-time in minutes played (6,180) for goalkeepers … She is also first all-time in goals against average at 0.45 … Played her senior season for Stanford in 2004, starting all 22 games while playing 2044 minutes and allowing just 10 goals for a 0.44 GAA, good for third in the NCAA … Earned 10 shutouts and was named First-Team All-Pac 10 (her third All-Pac-10 recognition) and honorable mention All-Academic Pac-10 … Also named First-Team NSCAA All-American, co-captain and a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy … In 2003 as a junior, she earned First-Team All-West Region and All-Pac-10 honors ... She co-captained the team, starting all 21 games while playing 1,947 minutes, posted a 0.79 GAA and recorded seven shutouts on the year … Named a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy ... Earned honorable mention Pac-10 All-Academic honors ... Tops the Stanford record book with a 0.41 career goals-against average ... As a sophomore in 2002, she was named First-Team NSCAA All-American and earned First-Team All-West Region and All-Pac-10 honors ... Started all 23 games in goal, amassing 2,047 minutes on the season ... Finished the year as the nation’s top goalkeeper with a 0.18 goals-against average ... She recorded 18 shutouts and allowed only four goals all season, a Stanford record ... Set single-season Cardinal records in minutes played (2,047), total shutouts (18), goals allowed (4) and goals-against average (0.18) ... Also set the record for fewest goals allowed in the Pac-10 ... She posted career-high seven consecutive shutout games, shutting out Cal Poly, California, Notre Dame and Portland in the NCAA Tournament ... Earned honorable mention Pac-10 All-Academic honors … Redshirted in 2001 due to a torn ACL … In 2000 as a freshman, she made five appearances, picking up four shared shutouts and saw action in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament against San Jose State ... Made her collegiate debut in the second half of a 4-0 win against Saint Mary’s, playing 15 minutes … High School: Played for the boys’ team at Boyertown High School for all four years, playing on the field a bit as well as in goal … Also played basketball and lacrosse, where she was an All-American.